This hike, easily one of my favorite in the entire park, is part of a five lake loop - Bear, Helene, Odessa, Fern, and Cub. Best started at the Bear Lake Trailhead, as most of the distance winds up being downhill and after 10+miles, all the uphill can be quite exhausting.
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| Bear Lake looking towards Long's Peak |
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| Fireweed around Bear Lake |
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| The trail opens up into a green meadow looking towards rocky hills. |
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| August and still snow on the ground! |
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| Back in the sunlight on a rocky path I hear what has become one of my favorite sounds... |
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| ...the squeak of a Pika! |
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| This little guy sat around on the rocks near my feet for a while. |
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| Back into the woods to Lake Helene |
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| Climbing a bit off trail onto a nice rock overlook, you can see Lake Helene on the left, Notchtop Mtn on the right, and several waterfalls in between. |
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| From the same overlook, looking into Odessa Gorge towards Odessa Lake |
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| Lake Helene |
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| High waters overflow a small stream bed looking out towards Odessa Gorge |
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The trail down to Odessa Lake, along the west side of Joe Mills Mtn*
(*one of my favorite coworkers is Joe Mills' granddaughter, Enos' grandniece, and Bob Flame's daughter!) |
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| The trail follows a clear streaming originating from the southern end of Odessa Lake |
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Odessa Lake.
The waters were so clear, I watched the water soiled when rinsing my hands of dirt and sweat. |
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| I sat for nearly an hour on the rock in the center, watching the sunlight flicker on the surface. |
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| Back towards the main trail |
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| First glimpses of Fern Lake |
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| Fern Lake |
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| Fern Falls |
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